Great Priory Of The United Religious And Military Orders Of The Temple.

mason . Brethren of the Temple , we all know how much the Prince of Wales does for us in Freemasonry , and how much generally for the people of these realms . I ask you to pass a resolution congratulating his Royal Highness on his escape . I may say that I have already taken upon myself to have a letter drawn up which expresses these views , and which I will ask you to allow us to send to his Royal Highness . I will ask Bro . Matier to read the letter . The GREAT V ICE-CHANCELLOR read the letter as follows :

To his Royal Hig hness Albert Edward , Prince of Wales , K . G ., G . C . T . & c , & c , & c , & c , Most Eminent Sovereign of the United Orders of the Temple and Hospital in the United Kingdom , May it please your Royal Highness , We , the Grand Master and Knights of the United Religous and

Military Orders of the Temple and Hospital in England and Wales , in Great Priory assembled , do humbly beg to offer to your Royal Highness the assurance of our heartfelt gratitude to the Most High , that He has been mercifully pleased to protect and preserve your Royal Highness upon the occasion of the recent dastardly attack upon your life , and our earnest prayer is that His Divine Protection may ever guard your Royal Highness from all evil and danger . EUSTON , GRAND MASTER .

C . F . MATIER , GREAT VICE-CHANCELLOR . Dated at Mark Masons' Hall , this nth May , 1900 . The G REAT SENESCHAL : I claim the privilege of seconding this motion . This I do most heartily . The motion was agreed to amid great enthusiasm and loud cries of " all . " Great Priory was then closed in ample form .

ORDER OF MALTA . Great Priory of Malta was opened in due form . The M . E . and Supreme Grand Master , the Earl of Euston , G . C . T ., occupied the throne . The Great Chancellor , V . E . Knight C . F . MATIER , K . C . T ., read the minutes of the previous meeting , which were confirmed . The Great Officers took their seats as follows :

At the East Table—V . E . Knights R . Loveland Loveland , G . C . T ., G . Prior ; Frank Richardson , G . C . T ., as Captain-General ; A . Woodiwiss , K . C . T ., as Lieut .-General ; E . Knights G . Walton Walker , First Lieutenant ; and John Taylor , as Second Lieutenant . At the Octagon Table in the West—E . Knights E . Armitage , as Mareschal ; F . Lawrance , as Hospitaller ; J . B . Green , as Admiral ; Knig ht W . G . Whittam , as Conservator ; E . Knights Capt . H . G . Giles , Baillie ;

James Hillhouse , as Turcopolier ; V . E . Knight John Strachan , as Chancellor ; Knig ht Charles Wells , M . D ., as Treasurer ; V . E . Knight Rev . C . E . L . Wright , as Prelate ; and E . Knight H . E . Cousans , as Captain of Outposts . The following were Guards to the Banners : Knight Col . Gordon Watson , Banner B . ; E . Knights Major E . S . Stillwell , Banner L . ; and A . W . Siddall , Banner D . ; Knight Richard Pintner , Banner R . ; and E . Knight Harold Burke , Banner A .

The following knig hts of the Order of the Temple then received the Mediterranean Pass , and were admitted into the Order of Malta , the accolade being given be the M . E . and S . Grand Master : Knights Walter Lawrence , Bard of Avon Preceptory ; Cecil Henry Holden White , Faith and Fidelity Preceptory ; Thomas Westlake Morgan , Grosvenor Preceptory ; Alexander Rutherford , Geofiroy de Bouillon Preceptory ; Col . Hy . Montagu Hozier , C . B .. Hol y Palestine Preceptory : Thos . H . Gardiner , Col . Nathaniel Newnham-Davis , and James Dundas Grant , M . D ., of

St . George ' s Preceptory ; and Thomas Fish Marson , Studholme Preceptory . The M . E . and Supreme G . Master , the Earl of Euston , afterwards presided at the banquet , supported by the Great Seneschal , the V . E . Prov . Prior for N . and E . Yorkshire , the V . E . Prov . Prior for the Mediterranean , the G . Officers , many Past G . Officers , Preceptors , and other knights , and the distinguished visitors from Scotland and Ireland .

Annual Meeting Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The annual meeting of the subscribers to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was held on Friday , the iSth instant , in the large hall of Freemasons' Tavern . Bro . John Albert Farnfield , P . A . G . D . C , Treasurer of the Institution , presided . There were also present supporting him Bros . Dr . Strong , C . E . Keyser , J . W . Burgess , James Stephens , G . Everett , W ,

Russell , Dr . Mickley , W . H . Spaull , A . C . Spaull , W . F . Smithson , Capt . H . Green , W . C . Lupton , J . Hawkins , E . Letchworth , E . M . Money , H . Nuding , W . H . Saunders , Major Woodall , H . A . Tobias , H . Lovegrove , W . H . Whadcoat , G . Graveley , E . Nightingale , J . S . Cumberland , and J . Terry ( Secretary ) . The meeting were very fully attended .

On the motion of Bro . Major WOODALL , P . G . D ., the minutes of the

annual meeting of May 17 th , 1899 , were taken as read . The Auditors' report was read by Bro . JAS . TERRY , and on the motion of Bro . C . E . KEYSER , seconded by Bro . H . A . TOBIAS , the statement was ordered to be received and entered on the minutes . Bro . TERRY next read the following report of the Committee of Management of the Institution :

The Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution has very great pleasure in laying before the Governors and Subscribers a Report of its proceedings during the past year . , The Anniversary Festival in behalf of the Institution was held by direction 0 his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . G .. Most Worshiuful Grand

/•1 u and Patron > and President , on Tuesday , the 27 th February last . The Kight Honourable the Lord Addington , Provincial Grand Master of Buckinghamshire / occupied the chair , and was suppoited by a Board of 617 Stewards , of K '" VVere , adies - lne total amount of the donations and subscriptions obtained b y the members of this Board was announced by the Secretary as . 620 , 220 16 s , but this sum has since been augmented by the receipt of outstanding lists—of which there was a greater number than usual—and additions UstSj to ^ 22 , 013 ios ., this being , with the exception of the total sub-

Annual Meeting Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

scribed at the Jubilee Festival in 1892 , the highest ever obtained at a Benevolent Anniversary . London , which was represented by 286 Stewards , furnished towards this splendid result ^ 12 , 59 6 ; the Provinces , by the medium of 328 Stewards , ^ 9385 ; and Foreign Stations , with three Stewards , ^ 31 ios . Under these circumstances the Committee gladly avails itself of the oppor

tunity of expressing its deep sense of gratitude to the Right Honourab le the Chairman , who so ably presided and pleaded the cause of the Institution so earnestly and with such signal success ; to the ladies and brethren who voluntarily gave their services as Stewards , and by whose efforts the amount was obtained , and lastly to the lodges , chapters , and individual brethren by whom it was so generously subscribed .

London , with its formidable array of Stewards , the Chairman ' s Province of Buckinghamshire , which in its whole career has never figured to such advantage , West Yorkshire , Essex , indeed the whole of the lodges and provinces that took part in the celebration , deserve , each and every of them , a special record of thanks for their services on this occasion ; and the Committee trusts that just as the handsome total of 1899 has been exceeded by the total of the present year , so the latter , in its turn , will be surpassed by the Returns obtained at future Anniversary gatherings .

At the election in May , 18 99 , there were on the two Funds of the Institution 455 annuitants , the Committee having felt itself justified in recommending the increase of the number in 1898 by the creation of five annuities on the Male Fund and three on the Female Fund . Of these 455 annuitants , 207 were on the Male Fund and 248 , including three nominated by the holders of as many perpetual presentations on the Widows' Fund , the number of candidates for election being 122 , of whom 55 were men and 6 7 widows . To-day , thanks in great measure to the adoption of the Committee ' s recommendation , the number of candidates is smaller , comprising 46 men and 59 widows , or , in all , 105 .

The Committee is naturally desirous of still further reducing the list of applicants , so far as this can be done consistently with a due regard to the careful administration of the funds at its disposal , and when at its regular meeting in February it learned that the Festival , then imminent , promised a success as great , or nearly as great , as that of last year , it resolved on still further enlarging the establishment by the creation of eight additional annuities , namely , three on the Male and five on the Widows' Fund . It therefore declared the numbers to be

elected to-day to be 18 men and 23 widows , inclusive in each case of the three elected to deferred annuities . Since then , however , there have died two men and six widows , and the Committee is of opinion that these vacancies should also be filled up , and in the event of this recommendation being adopted there will be elected at this meeting 20 men and 29 widows , including , as already stated , the three who will be held in reserve for the deferred annuities . Thus , the Institution will for the future provide for 210 annuitants on the Male Fund of ^ 40

per annum each , and 253 annuitants on the Widows' Fund at ^" 32 per annum each , the total amount distributable among these 463 old people being . £ 16 , 496 . To these must be added the 26 widows of recently deceased male annuitants , to each of whom is paid annually for a term of years ^ 20 , being the half of her late husband's annuity , the amount thus distributed being ^ 520 and raising the total to be expended on the three classes of annuitants to ^ 17 , 016 . With the view however , of bringing more immediately home to the minds of

the brethren the nature and extent of the benefits conferred by the Institution , the Committee is desirous of laying before them the following interesting particulars : During the 12 months ending to-day , there have died 18 male annuitants who received amongst them £ 4200 , and 22 widow annuitants to whom have been paid in the aggregate ^ 840 . Of the former , one received upwards of £ 800 during the period he was an annuitant ; two between £ 600 and £ 700

each ; and three between £ 500 and . C 600 each ; while of the widows , three received over £ 700 each ; two between £ 600 and £ 700 each ; and four between £ 500 and £ 600 each . The total expended amongst these male and widow annuitants reached £ 13 , 040 , and it is owing to this expenditure that these old people were enabled to pass their declining years comfortably instead of in comparative or absolute poverty .

The Committee desires to express its grateful thanks to United Grand Lodge for the renewal of its annual grant of £ 70 towards providing the inmates of the Asylum at Croydon with fuel during the winter months ; to the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for its gifts of periodicals and comforts for the residents ; to the trustees of the John Hervey Benefaction Fund for the dividend on the £ 1000 ; and to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement for its renewed grant of £ 10 , to be divided equally between the three highest unsuccessful candidates at to-day ' s election .

The Committee is also desirous of publicly recording its heartfelt thanks to the Honorary Surgeons of the Institution , J . Wayte , Esq ., and R . Percy Middlemist , Esq ., for their kind and unremitting attention to those of the annuitants , whether resident at Croydon or non-resident , who have been unfortunately compelled during the past year to seek their advice and assistance ; and also to H . J , Strong , Esq ., M . D ., Honorary Consulting Physician , who has at all times exhibited the utmost readiness to give to those who needed it the benefit of his long professional experience .

The Committee cannot allow this opportunity to pass without recording its sincere appreciation of the zeal and ability with which the Secretary and his staff have discharged their very responsible duties , and heartily congratulates the former on the continued success of his efforts to promote the welfare of our Institution , with which he has been so closely connected for upwards of five-and-thirty years . The Committee report that the premises at Croydon will this year require to be put into repair .

Appended is the audited statement of account for the year ending the 31 st December , 1899 . As in previous years , it has been prepared with the greatest care by the Finance Committee , and passed and approved by the Auditors only after the most rigorous examination of the several items . The Committee , under these circumstances , both hopes and believes that the Governors and Subscribers , on scrutinising the figures , will arrive at the conclusion that during the past , as in preceding years , the duty of administering the affairs of the Institution has been performed with the utmost possible regard for efficiency and economy combined .

Lastly , the Committee expresses its unabated confidence in the generosity of the Craft , and is firmly persuaded that so long as it pursues the line of conduct it has marked out for itself , so long will the brethren manifest the same readiness to contribute towards the maintenance of the Institution . Subjoined is the statement of the receipts and expenditure during the year 1899 already mentioned , together with the necessary particulars of the permanent income .

On the motion of Bro . A . C . SPAULL , seconded by Bro . H . A . TOBIAS , the Report was ordered to be received and entered on the minutes . Bro . CHARLES E . KEYSER then rose , and said the next business the brethren had before them was the election of the Treasurer , and they would all anticipate the proposition he ( Bro . Keyser ) was about to make . Bro ,

John Albert Farnfield , P . A . G . D . C , had filled the position of Treasurer of the Institution for many years ; he believed the present year was the twentieth year Bro . Farnfitld had been their Treasurer . He was sure they would all be most anxious to see him remain in that high and honorable office for many years to come . His services to the Institution had been